Profiling of patterned metal layers by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry LA-ICP-MS/

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry LA-ICP-MS.was used for profiling patterned thin metal layers on a polymerrsilicon substrate. The parameters of the laser and ICP-MS operating conditions have been studied and optimized for this purpose. A new laser ablation chamber was designed and built to achieve the best spatial resolution. The results of the profiling by LA-ICP-MS were compared to those obtained from a laser ablation optical emission spectrometry LA-OES.instrument, which measured the emission of the plasma at the sample surface, and thus, eliminated the time delay caused by the sample transport into the ICP-MS system. Emission spectra gave better spatial resolution than mass spectra. However, LA-ICP-MS provided much better sensitivity and was able to profile thin metal layers on the order of a few nanometers. on the silicon surface. A lateral spatial resolution of 45 mm was achieved. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.